NewsStocksBetMGM Q3 6 Revenue Rises 7% to $710 Million on Stronger Sportsbook Hold

BetMGM Q3 6 Revenue Rises 7% to $710 Million on Stronger Sportsbook Hold

Author: FinancePolice·

Key Takeaways

  • •BetMGM's third-quarter 2026 net revenue rose 7% year over year to $710 million, while adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $86 million from $41 million.
  • •Online sports net revenue grew 7% to $216 million as the sportsbook hold improved to 10.7% from 10.1% and handle increased 3% to $3.24 billion.
  • •Average monthly actives fell 3% to 878,000, which BetMGM characterized as consistent with more selective customer acquisition and management.
  • •BetMGM maintained its 2026 outlook of $2.9-$3.1 billion in net revenue and $300-$350 million in adjusted EBITDA but expects both measures to land near the lower end of the ranges.
  • •The quarterly figures, disclosed in an October 13 update from the 50/50 MGM Resorts-Entain joint venture, are non-GAAP management measures that have not been audited or reviewed by the company's independent accounting firm.
BetMGM Q3 6 Revenue Rises 7% to $710 Million on Stronger Sportsbook Hold

BetMGM posted third-quarter 2026 net revenue of $710 million, a 7% increase from $667 a year earlier, as a higher sportsbook hold turned a modest rise in betting volume into stronger online sports revenue growth. Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $86 million, though the operator said it expects full-year results near the lower end of its existing outlook.

The figures were disclosed in an October 13 business update from Entain and BetMGM. Average monthly actives fell 3% year over year, while the share of sportsbook wagers retained as gross gaming revenue climbed. The numbers point to monetization, rather than a larger active customer base, as the defining feature of the quarter—an emphasis consistent with a US online gambling market in which major operators have in recent years shifted focus from rapid customer growth toward profitability.

Sportsbook Hold Rises as Handle Grows 3%

Online sports net revenue increased 7% to $216 million in the third quarter, just under a third of the company total, with the balance coming primarily from BetMGM's online casino offering. Sportsbook handle—the total amount wagered—rose 3% to $3.24 billion.

The larger revenue gain reflects a higher gross gaming revenue hold of 10.7%, compared with 10.1% in the same period of 2025. Hold is not the same as customer betting activity: it measures the portion of stakes retained as gross gaming revenue before other costs. In this case, the improvement meant BetMGM generated more sports revenue from a relatively limited increase in the amount wagered.

That distinction matters when assessing a sportsbook quarter. Handle can rise without producing proportionate revenue growth, while changes in hold can materially affect reported results. BetMGM's update presents the higher hold as a reported outcome, not evidence that individual customers should expect particular betting results.

World Cup Engagement and Pre-NFL Product Changes

BetMGM said player engagement was supported in part by World Cup betting. The 2026 tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, ran from June into July, spanning the close of the second quarter and the opening weeks of the reporting period. Ahead of the NFL season—which typically brings some of the heaviest betting volumes of the year to US sportsbooks—BetMGM also introduced a series of sportsbook changes, including expanded cash-out functionality, bet tracking, customizable bets and an improved rewards hub.

The company did not quantify how much revenue or engagement came from any one tournament, feature or product update. Nor does the announcement establish that the additions improve outcomes for customers. Cash-out options, for example, may alter how a wager is settled but do not remove the underlying risk of gambling.

Customers considering any regulated betting product should review applicable terms, odds, withdrawal rules, eligibility requirements and responsible-gambling controls in their jurisdiction before placing a wager.

Higher EBITDA Alongside Fewer Monthly Actives

Adjusted EBITDA rose 112% to $86 million from $41 million in the third quarter of 2025. At the same time, average monthly actives declined to 878,000 from the prior-year period.

BetMGM characterized the result as coming alongside more selective customer acquisition and management. The figures are consistent with a strategy focused on the economics of customers acquired rather than simply expanding the active base, but the company's update does not isolate the financial effect of that approach. Higher sportsbook hold also contributed to the revenue result.

The contrast is important because customer-count growth and profitability do not necessarily move together in online gambling. Marketing, promotional incentives and acquisition costs can affect profitability, while quarterly sports outcomes can affect hold. BetMGM did not provide a detailed breakdown of those factors' respective contributions to the EBITDA increase.

2026 Guidance Maintained, Low End Targeted

BetMGM's 2026 outlook remains net revenue of $2.9 billion to $3.1 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $300 million to $350 million. Reuters, via Investing.com, independently reported the company's revenue figures and unchanged guidance.

BetMGM expects both measures to land toward the lower end of their respective ranges. The outlook is a company projection rather than a completed result, which places the quarterly performance in a more restrained full-year context.

Joint-Venture Reporting and Unaudited Measures

BetMGM is a 50/50 joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Entain and is not separately listed, meaning investors see its performance only through disclosures from the two parent companies. Its reported revenue, contribution and adjusted EBITDA in the third-quarter update are management measures not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

The company also said the Q3 estimates had not been audited or reviewed by its independent accounting firm. That does not negate the reported quarter, but it is a material qualification for readers comparing the update with audited financial statements or using adjusted EBITDA as a measure of underlying performance.

BetMGM's $710 million revenue figure therefore shows continued growth in the quarter, with online sports revenue aided by a 10.7% hold on $3.24 billion of handle. Its next reported results will offer a clearer view of whether that mix of selective acquisition, betting activity and hold can support its low-end 2026 targets, with the NFL season now providing the first extended stretch of activity for the product changes introduced ahead of kickoff.